ACCLIMATIZATION OF FISH IN THE PACIFIC STATES. 
419 
home in San Francisco Bay, and furnish a large and varied quantity of food for the fish life of the 
fresh, brackish, and salt waters. 
Another interesting feature of the hay is the almost uniform temperature of the water, there 
being only a few degrees variation at any season of the year. That the conditions are extremely 
favorable to the support of aquatic life is demonstrated in the rapid increase and permanent residence 
of the several fine food-fishes introduced from the Atlantic Coast by the Government. Some of the 
fishes thus acclimatized are naturally anadromous, but in San Francisco Bay, contrary to their usually 
migratory habits, they do not appear to have any desire to spend much if any of their existence in 
the ocean. 
Another feature which has its influence upon the quantity of animal life present in San Francisco 
Bay is the absence of fishing banks or submerged chains of mountains off the coast of California 
adjacent to the Golden Gate. Fishing-grounds, such as are found off' the coast of the Atlantic States, 
do not occur within many hundred miles of the California coast. It may therefore be assumed that 
during very stormy weather numbers of the near-shore marine fishes would seek food and shelter 
inside the Golden Gate, where, finding favorable conditions, many remain. 
While considerable quantities of shad are taken in San Francisco Bay, that 
ground is much less productive than the bays and streams which enter it on the north. 
One of the best fishing-grounds lies between Penole Point, at the southern entrance 
of San Pablo Bay, and Martinez, on Karquines Strait — a distance of about 15 miles. 
Another good ground is at the head of Suisun Bay. The best grounds, however, are 
the Sacramento Biver below Sacramento and the San Joaquin River below Stockton, 
and the numerous sloughs at the delta of those streams. At times the fish are taken 
as far up the San Joaquin as Banta. 
Mr. Alexander states : 
By experience the fishermen of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers have learned the points 
where shad are most likely to be found ; each locality has its best spots, and around these the nets are 
set. A fisherman who finds a good fishing-ground one season will seek the same place the next year. 
Fishermen who have discovered good grounds in various parts of the river are very careful about 
letting others know the spots, and will often go a long distance out of their way rather than let it be 
known where their favorite grounds are. 
Fishermen . — The persons engaging in tlie shad fishery of this section are also 
engaged in the market or salmon fisheries, or both, shad now constituting only a small 
part of their catch and receiving but little special attention. They are for the most 
part natives of southern Europe, a large percentage being unnaturalized. 
The number of fishermen taking shad varies greatly from time to time. Some 
months there may be several hundred in whose nets shad are caught in noticeable 
numbers, but those who set nets especially for shad probably do not number more 
than 100. In 1893 there were 90 persons who might be called regular shad fisherman; 
these belonged at San Francisco and at the various fishing stations between that 
place and the lower courses of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. 
The apparattis and methods . — In the San Fraucisco Bay region shad are now 
taken in salmon gill nets, in trammel or three-mesh nets, and in shad gill nets. No 
pound nets or traps, such as are so extensively employed on the Atlantic Coast for 
shad, are used in these waters; a few fish are incidentally obtained in drag seines. 
The trammel nets are employed chiefly in San Francisco Bay and, in addition 
to shad, take rockfish, flounders, perch, and other species. This form of apparatus is 
very popular with the foreign fisherman, and is usually fished in conjunction with 
special shad gill nets. Each boat fishing regularly carries from 4 to 6 trammel nets, 
with an average value of $20 each. The two outer nets composing the trammel have 
a mesh of 14 or 16 inches; the inner piece is provided with a 5£ or 5| inch mesh,, 
